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For the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, Local Projects conceived of a magic pen that lets visitors explore the museum’s collection through a series of brilliant interactive experiences. Drawing a shape on one of several touchscreen tables instantly searches the museum’s archive for an object whose form includes that shape. “It’s making this formal argument…that all of design starts with that,” Barton says. “Whether it’s digital or physical, a pencil or a pen: line work. Humans are making things. And out of that comes the entire designed world we live within.

The key to a successful brand is to be true to its underlying message while still allowing appearance to vary with time, place, and circumstance.

The orientation and position of a line can also further influence a visual message. A horizontal line is calm, quiet, and serene; a vertical line communicates strength, height, and aspiration. Vertical lines appear more active and communicate a more powerful and immediate message than a series of horizontal lines. Diagonal lines are much more suggestive, energetic, and dynamic.

These four trends not only represent where the state of packaging design is heading, they represent where the state of consumerism is currently at... Visual Authenticity shows that consumers are no longer relying on or trusting established brands. They want real, honest, crafted products that offer a human connection. Luxury of Less shows that consumers are beginning to reject traditional luxury branding, now often seen as flashy and distasteful. Instead, they are choosing luxury brands that whisper rather than shout - products that prioritise quality and experience over anything else. Ultra-Pure shows that consumers are appreciating and actively embracing extreme simplicity in their brands, products, and lives. They no longer need the excess and are opting for products in their purest, simplest form. Biobased shows that consumers are not only embracing environmentally reponsible packaging, but they demand it. This demand is fuelling a new wave of environmentally responsible products and packaging substrate innovations.

Those responsible for the brand need to be fully aware of the brand perception, the marketplace, the competition, wider trends and social influences, and the ever-changing relationship with the consumer and other audiences.